In a fiery United Rugby Championship derby that had fans on the edge of their seats, Scarlets interim director of rugby Nigel Davies didn't hold back his frustration after what he called an "unheard of" penalty count in their 27-20 loss to the Ospreys.

The match in Bridgend was a rollercoaster of emotions. The Ospreys charged out to a commanding 17-5 lead by halftime, with Scarlets center Joe Roberts and prop Kemsley Mathias both sent to the sin bin in the opening 40 minutes. But the Scarlets showed incredible grit, storming back in the second half to take a 20-17 lead. Just when it looked like they'd pulled off a remarkable comeback, Ospreys captain Jac Morgan crossed for a try in the 75th minute, crushing their hopes.

What really got under Davies' skin, though, was the officiating. Referee Ben Connor penalized the Scarlets a staggering 21 times compared to just four against the Ospreys. For a derby match where every breakdown is a battle, that kind of disparity is almost unheard of.

"We have to control what we can control," Davies said, visibly frustrated. "First half the penalty count was probably fair enough because we were under pressure in the scrum, but we turned that around in the second half. We were probably slightly on top in the scrum but weren't getting the calls."

The former Wales center pointed to a critical moment in the 66th minute when scrum-half Dane Blacker was brought down just five meters from the try line. Davies believed it was a clear penalty and a yellow card, but instead, the Ospreys cleared the ball and escaped unscathed.

"There was a key moment where we attacked and got right under the posts," Davies explained. "For me, that was a clear penalty and a yellow card because the guy didn't get up off his feet. We were not getting those decisions, and it was such a key moment."

Despite the bitter defeat, Davies praised his players' effort. "The penalty count was astounding—21 to 4. We target 10 or less, and I am not frustrated at my players because they played really well and went at it. They gave everything that they had and unfortunately didn't get their just rewards."

For the Scarlets, this loss stings, but the fight they showed in the second half is something to build on. In rugby, as in sportswear, sometimes you need to weather the storm before you can turn the tide.